Challenge

Dr. Jorge Luis Hirsc
Spectators: 39 (Terracing: 30, Seating: 9, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Ernesto Soin started the match with the kick off. If Tomas Berganza had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 6th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Fausto Weterio took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Isidoro Sarmiento, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Edgard Calisto hit a great freekick 11 minutes into the match. After a defensive mix-up in Estudiantes de la Plata's zone, Tomas Berganza stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Fausto Weterio came out of the goal and Tomas Berganza tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 15th minute, Tomas Berganza ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Fausto Weterio was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-1. Ernesto Soin received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Marcos Cotilla came out and tried to block the shot, but Ernesto Soin slotted it home off the left post making it 1-1 in the 20th minute. After a rather tough play, Panama's Abraham Alguacil got a free kick in the 24th minute. Marcos Cotilla showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Ernesto Soin in the 25th minute of the match. After a defensive mix-up in Panama's zone, Ernesto Soin stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Marcos Cotilla came out of the goal and Ernesto Soin tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After a rather tough play, Panama's Aaron Barrios got a free kick in the 34th minute. Marcos Cotilla made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Edgard Calisto in the 38th minute of play. Panama were furious when Dylan Sarmiento was red carded, 40 minutes into the game, but the referee dismissed their protests. 39 minutes into the game, one of Panama:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. In the 42nd minute, Estudiantes de la Plata got a penalty, and Edgard Calisto placed the ball unsaveable into goal, by the right post. Fausto Weterio took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Isidoro Sarmiento, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-1.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Tomas Berganza stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 58th minute, Panama's Tomas Berganza dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 2-2. When Tomas Berganza came up free with the goalie in the 61st minute, the Panama fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Tomas Berganza couldn't finish the play. Ernesto Soin's late challenge caught a Panama's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Ernesto Soin helped the player get up and apologised. Alex Cambeiro received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 66th minute. Fausto Weterio tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Edgard Calisto fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Marcos Cotilla having to interfere. Tomas Berganza recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 74th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Marcos Cotilla took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Ernesto Soin, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 78 minutes into the match, Panama's Abraham Alguacil broke free and took a long shot that unfortunately flew wide. A fine initiative that could have resulted in a goal. Prospero Betadur kicked well hit freekick during the 79th minute of the match. Tomas Berganza received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 80th minute. Fausto Weterio tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Estudiantes de la Plata booed when Panama was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 81 match minutes in a wonderful position. Miguel Miralles didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 84 minutes of play, Estudiantes de la Plata's Edgard Calisto made it 3-2 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Marcos Cotilla was left in no man's land by his defense there! After 87 played minutes Panama got a freekick which was hit by Felipe Ros. In the 92nd minute, Tomas Berganza hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The supporters of Panama booed when Estudiantes de la Plata was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 94 match minutes in a wonderful position. Prospero Betadur didn't get a good kick on the ball. The supporters of Estudiantes de la Plata booed when Panama was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 97 match minutes in a wonderful position. Isidoro Sarmiento didn't get a good kick on the ball. The Estudiantes de la Plata players were eager to celebrate when the final whistle sounded. They had somehow managed to win, even though the away team had held the majority of the possession.